Possible speech delay

Katie just turned 18 months and can say mama, dada, Boba and uses "bubba" for everything else we ask her to say. She babbles a limited number or sounds. I can get her to mimic a few sounds and her receptive language is fantastic. She also signs some things. I am concerned about her speech and am going to ask her pedi for advice next week. DH is really adamant that we "let her be a kid" and not push for an evaluation/therapy. I think I am going to insist she have an evaluation at this point. I just don't understand why she is not talking. is anyone in this boat? What could the problem be? I talk, read and sing to her all day. I feel really sad that something might be wrong and I am annoyed that DH isn't on board with therapy. Sorry to ramble. I am just very concerned.

Katie just turned 18 months and can say mama, dada, Boba and uses "bubba" for everything else we ask her to say. She babbles a limited number or sounds. I can get her to mimic a few sounds and her receptive language is fantastic. She also signs some things. I am concerned about her speech and am going to ask her pedi for advice next week. DH is really adamant that we "let her be a kid" and not push for an evaluation/therapy. I think I am going to insist she have an evaluation at this point. I just don't understand why she is not talking. is anyone in this boat? What could the problem be? I talk, read and sing to her all day. I feel really sad that something might be wrong and I am annoyed that DH isn't on board with therapy. Sorry to ramble. I am just very concerned.

My son doesn't say much either. My pedi told me not to worry until he's 2 years old, and then to have an evaluation if he hasn't improved. If you're concerned I don't think there's any harm in an evaluation. Your pedi is definitely the best person to talk to about it. I love this board but it does make it difficult to hear about all the other LOs reciting Shakespeare while my DS barely says 6 words :(

My son doesn't say much either. My pedi told me not to worry until he's 2 years old, and then to have an evaluation if he hasn't improved. If you're concerned I don't think there's any harm in an evaluation. Your pedi is definitely the best person to talk to about it. I love this board but it does make it difficult to hear about all the other LOs reciting Shakespeare while my DS barely says 6 words :(

Jeremy barely talks too. He has a lot of words he can say that I have heard him say, but he chooses not to and just points to what he wants. His physical therapist told us not to worry about it til he is 2 because his receptive language is great, and she said that some kids don't start really talking til then.

Jeremy barely talks too. He has a lot of words he can say that I have heard him say, but he chooses not to and just points to what he wants. His physical therapist told us not to worry about it til he is 2 because his receptive language is great, and she said that some kids don't start really talking til then.

Maybe my DH is right about letting her develop at her own pace. I am definitely going to bring this up at the appt. Our pedi sends out packets to help assess development and in filling the packet out, Katie did great on literally every portion except spoken language. Maybe some kids are just late talkers.

Maybe my DH is right about letting her develop at her own pace. I am definitely going to bring this up at the appt. Our pedi sends out packets to help assess development and in filling the packet out, Katie did great on literally every portion except spoken language. Maybe some kids are just late talkers.

I think we're in exactly the same boat! We did the Ages and Stages Questionnaire before his 18 month check up and he was great everywhere except speech. I think that's why the pedi wasn't concerned overall.

I think we're in exactly the same boat! We did the Ages and Stages Questionnaire before his 18 month check up and he was great everywhere except speech. I think that's why the pedi wasn't concerned overall.

My son says hi and block, and that's it. I'm not concerned, and I agree with your husband that we push for them to do things before they're ready. Your lo will talk, I would try and relax about it because a you're doing is making yourself worry and that's not good for you. Hang in there.

My son says hi and block, and that's it. I'm not concerned, and I agree with your husband that we push for them to do things before they're ready. Your lo will talk, I would try and relax about it because a you're doing is making yourself worry and that's not good for you. Hang in there.

Enzo is the same. Are her motor skills more advanced? Someone told me that toddlers usually focus on either speech of fine motor skills first. Who knows though! Enzo babbles a lot, says "ba" and "na" ( I think he means no) a lot. He signs a bit, and actually just signed nurse for the first time ever last week. Otherwise he's all baby talk, no real words. This from a toddler who took a 3 hour nap a few days ago, woke up dry, the peed and pooped in his potty! I'm not worried yet, kids develop at their own rate.

Enzo is the same. Are her motor skills more advanced? Someone told me that toddlers usually focus on either speech of fine motor skills first. Who knows though! Enzo babbles a lot, says "ba" and "na" ( I think he means no) a lot. He signs a bit, and actually just signed nurse for the first time ever last week. Otherwise he's all baby talk, no real words. This from a toddler who took a 3 hour nap a few days ago, woke up dry, the peed and pooped in his potty! I'm not worried yet, kids develop at their own rate.

Ds talks alot, but only started walking three weeks ago (hes 18mos today). My sisters 20 month old only says mama and dAda. She will talk when she is good and ready- she will probably be the one who comes out with full sentences !!

Ds talks alot, but only started walking three weeks ago (hes 18mos today). My sisters 20 month old only says mama and dAda. She will talk when she is good and ready- she will probably be the one who comes out with full sentences !!

Get an evaluation if you and the pedi think it's necessary-even if to just quiet your worried Momma mind.

My eldest (who is 3 1/2) has a best friend who is now 4. She DID NOT say one word until 18 months. No mama or dada even. By 2 she maybe had a handful of very hard to understand words. But then suddenly she got hundreds of words all at once. Now, she is the most well spoken 4 year old I've ever met. She is advanced in just about every way (and a really nice kiddo to boot). Maybe your LO will be the same way!

But bring it up with the pedi and see if she's worried! Our pedi won't refer anyone for speech until 2 unless they have other developmental issues going on.

Get an evaluation if you and the pedi think it's necessary-even if to just quiet your worried Momma mind.

My eldest (who is 3 1/2) has a best friend who is now 4. She DID NOT say one word until 18 months. No mama or dada even. By 2 she maybe had a handful of very hard to understand words. But then suddenly she got hundreds of words all at once. Now, she is the most well spoken 4 year old I've ever met. She is advanced in just about every way (and a really nice kiddo to boot). Maybe your LO will be the same way!

But bring it up with the pedi and see if she's worried! Our pedi won't refer anyone for speech until 2 unless they have other developmental issues going on.

My fourth (just turned 19 months) doesn't say much (mommy, daddy, no, mine, and will sometimes repeat what we say). I'm not too worried since my oldest was the same way. He hit a huge language burst around his second birthday and hasn't been quiet since. Lol. He is in first grade now and is reading extremely well, no delays, no intervention, he just wasn't ready to talk till then. Every child is different my second son proved that...he was speaking in sentences at 12 months!

My fourth (just turned 19 months) doesn't say much (mommy, daddy, no, mine, and will sometimes repeat what we say). I'm not too worried since my oldest was the same way. He hit a huge language burst around his second birthday and hasn't been quiet since. Lol. He is in first grade now and is reading extremely well, no delays, no intervention, he just wasn't ready to talk till then. Every child is different my second son proved that...he was speaking in sentences at 12 months!

My son was the same way. Actually, he lost some speech from 12 to 15 months. At the advise of the pedi, I started meeting with Infant Toddler Services. I really think our problem was that we weren't pushing him enough and I needed someone to remind me of that, even though this is my second. He went from only B and D sounds and "uh-oh" to more than 20 full words or word approximations (ive never really counted) as well as babbling within about 6 weeks. I think it also needed click with him that he could communicate back to us, not just be the recipient of communications.

My son was the same way. Actually, he lost some speech from 12 to 15 months. At the advise of the pedi, I started meeting with Infant Toddler Services. I really think our problem was that we weren't pushing him enough and I needed someone to remind me of that, even though this is my second. He went from only B and D sounds and "uh-oh" to more than 20 full words or word approximations (ive never really counted) as well as babbling within about 6 weeks. I think it also needed click with him that he could communicate back to us, not just be the recipient of communications.

Thanks for all the info on your babies. I guess it is hard because I keep seeing how the other May babies are saying do much already. Katie did learn to walk at 10 months and has great fine and gross motor skills, so perhaps she is developing those skills now. I'm glad to know other babies are not talking and are not considered delayed. Hopefully that is the case with Katie as well.

Thanks for all the info on your babies. I guess it is hard because I keep seeing how the other May babies are saying do much already. Katie did learn to walk at 10 months and has great fine and gross motor skills, so perhaps she is developing those skills now. I'm glad to know other babies are not talking and are not considered delayed. Hopefully that is the case with Katie as well.

I think I posted on this before so if I'm repeating myself I apologize!!!! I'm a pediatric speech pathologist and its absolutely true that lots of kiddos are late talkers.. The fact that receptively she's on par is fantastic!! If at her age you are concerned I believe that it is completely appropriate to get an eval just to rule out that there's nothing else going on (there's a lot of things that need to coordinate to talk!!!!). I see lots of itty bitty little ones! The SLP would let you know her level of functioning in terms of receptive lang, expressive lang, articulation skills, interaction-attachment, see if there are any gaps. If everything is ok then great!!!! If she needs a little help that's ok too! If nothing else she/he can give you some tips and language facilitation techniques! Bc of her age you can go through early/first steps. If you have any questions let me know :)

I think I posted on this before so if I'm repeating myself I apologize!!!! I'm a pediatric speech pathologist and its absolutely true that lots of kiddos are late talkers.. The fact that receptively she's on par is fantastic!! If at her age you are concerned I believe that it is completely appropriate to get an eval just to rule out that there's nothing else going on (there's a lot of things that need to coordinate to talk!!!!). I see lots of itty bitty little ones! The SLP would let you know her level of functioning in terms of receptive lang, expressive lang, articulation skills, interaction-attachment, see if there are any gaps. If everything is ok then great!!!! If she needs a little help that's ok too! If nothing else she/he can give you some tips and language facilitation techniques! Bc of her age you can go through early/first steps. If you have any questions let me know :)

So we had our 18 month checkup today and the doc wants us to check back to see if there is any progress in 3 months. If there is not, then we will have an evaluation done by Wisconsin's Birth to 3 Years program. The pedi wasn't really concerned, but she stated that she thinks Katie will become increasingly frustrated when she can't communicate. She is pretty good at telling me what she wants, though. The pedi also said that the sign language and receptive language skills were good indicators that she is just late to speak and there is likely nothing wrong. I really hope Katie picks up speech soon!

So we had our 18 month checkup today and the doc wants us to check back to see if there is any progress in 3 months. If there is not, then we will have an evaluation done by Wisconsin's Birth to 3 Years program. The pedi wasn't really concerned, but she stated that she thinks Katie will become increasingly frustrated when she can't communicate. She is pretty good at telling me what she wants, though. The pedi also said that the sign language and receptive language skills were good indicators that she is just late to speak and there is likely nothing wrong. I really hope Katie picks up speech soon!

That's good news! She's great AND you can get an evaluation to make you feel better if you're still worried in a few months. Best of both!

I just wanted to chime in that I love hearing the stories about kids who are quiet until they suddenly explode in sentences. It's just evidence that they were paying attention the whole time. The 3 kids I nanny for have all done that. The youngest, now 22 months, hardly talks at all but yesterday when I was getting him ready for bed he looked at the pjs I picked out and said, clear as day, "no thank you!" several times until I got a different pair. It was such a cute surprise!

That's good news! She's great AND you can get an evaluation to make you feel better if you're still worried in a few months. Best of both!

I just wanted to chime in that I love hearing the stories about kids who are quiet until they suddenly explode in sentences. It's just evidence that they were paying attention the whole time. The 3 kids I nanny for have all done that. The youngest, now 22 months, hardly talks at all but yesterday when I was getting him ready for bed he looked at the pjs I picked out and said, clear as day, "no thank you!" several times until I got a different pair. It was such a cute surprise!

She really does soak it all in! She is such a good listener and just remembers everything we say. I really hope for that language explosion everyone tells me about. I think it happens around 20 months ?

She really does soak it all in! She is such a good listener and just remembers everything we say. I really hope for that language explosion everyone tells me about. I think it happens around 20 months ?

My dd doesn't really say any words besides mama and ball. But she knows a ton of sign language, I can tell her which room in our house to go to and she'll go there, tell her specific colors of shoes to get and she will bring them to me. You pedi isn't worried so neither am I! My nephew started talking right before he 2nd birthday and it was 5-6 word sentences!!

My dd doesn't really say any words besides mama and ball. But she knows a ton of sign language, I can tell her which room in our house to go to and she'll go there, tell her specific colors of shoes to get and she will bring them to me. You pedi isn't worried so neither am I! My nephew started talking right before he 2nd birthday and it was 5-6 word sentences!!

My LO doesn't talk much either but I am not concerned. I did get an evaluation because I figured it couldn't hurt, but they confirmed my instincts that he is developing just fine at this point. I try to encourage speaking when I already know what he wants by saying, "Use your words," "Milk? Do you want more milk?" "Can you say up? Up?" etc.

My LO doesn't talk much either but I am not concerned. I did get an evaluation because I figured it couldn't hurt, but they confirmed my instincts that he is developing just fine at this point. I try to encourage speaking when I already know what he wants by saying, "Use your words," "Milk? Do you want more milk?" "Can you say up? Up?" etc.

Elijah only says UH OH. That's it. I think it will come in time. Follow your gut - do you feel like something is really wrong? It's hard for me not to worry, too, but in my gut I feel like he really is okay. Just taking his time :)

Elijah only says UH OH. That's it. I think it will come in time. Follow your gut - do you feel like something is really wrong? It's hard for me not to worry, too, but in my gut I feel like he really is okay. Just taking his time :)

I feel like I have really tried to encourage speech. When I ask her to say something she shakes her head "no"! She won't even try. And although I, too, am concerned, I am not convinced she has some sort of disorder. If her receptive speech wasn't as great as it is then I would really be worried! Thanks for all the encouragement.

I feel like I have really tried to encourage speech. When I ask her to say something she shakes her head "no"! She won't even try. And although I, too, am concerned, I am not convinced she has some sort of disorder. If her receptive speech wasn't as great as it is then I would really be worried! Thanks for all the encouragement.

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